My TransOvaLog In
Mar 12, 2026
Innovation has always been at the heart of Trans Ova. From the earliest days of advancing embryo transfer to leading the industry in IVF and reproductive technologies, progress has been driven by people willing to ask bigger questions and pursue better answers.
At the 2026 Team Summit, that spirit of progress was recognized through the Dr. David Faber Innovation Award, a distinction created to honor Trans Ova’s history and carry forward Dr. Faber’s legacy of bold ideas and transformative progress. The award celebrates a team member whose thinking challenges the status quo and moves the organization forward in meaningful ways.
This year’s recipient, Chief Scientific Officer Hong Wei, embodies exactly what the award represents.
Hong’s journey to Trans Ova began with a deep curiosity about reproductive biology and a commitment to advancing the science behind it.
He completed his master’s degree in 1994 focused on bovine in-vitro fertilization through collaborative work in the United Kingdom and China. He later earned his Ph.D. in 2001 in Japan, specializing in intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), a highly specialized reproductive technology.
Along the way, Hong gained experience across both animal and human reproductive medicine. He worked as an embryologist and scientist at Mastercalf, the world’s first bovine IVF company in the United Kingdom. Later, he spent five years as a laboratory manager at a leading human IVF clinic in Japan.
This global experience gave him a unique perspective on how emerging technologies could shape the future of reproductive genetics.
In 2005, that path led him to Sioux Center, Iowa.
When Hong first arrived at Trans Ova, the plan was simple.
“I just planned to use Trans Ova as a bridge,” he said. “I thought I would be here for six months before moving into human IVF.”
But the environment he found quickly changed those plans.
“So my six months became twenty years and six months now.”
What stood out to him wasn’t just the work being done. It was the mindset of the company itself.
“I was surprised that such a small company could have such a big vision.”
That vision created a culture where experimentation, improvement, and bold thinking were not just encouraged—they were expected.
When Hong joined the team, one of the early challenges was clear: improving embryo production using sexed semen through IVF.
“Dr. Faber told me, if you can make just three embryos per OPU using sexed semen, we will be in business.”
The team achieved that goal. And then they kept improving.
Year after year, those incremental improvements added up to major advancements in IVF performance, embryo development, and overall reproductive outcomes.
Today, Trans Ova’s IVF program delivers industry-leading results, while continuing to evolve through research, process refinement, and scientific discovery.
But Hong is quick to emphasize that innovation is never the work of just one person.
“Every day we are asking how we can become better,” he said. “Every year we see our results improve.”
Those improvements extend far beyond laboratory performance. They also show up in the relationships Trans Ova builds with producers around the world.
“We have industry-leading results in our IVF program, and we also lead the industry in client satisfaction.”
The Dr. David Faber Innovation Award recognizes individuals whose ideas elevate Trans Ova’s capabilities and accelerate progress for the business. But when Hong talks about innovation, he always returns to the people around him.
“This award should not be just for me personally,” he said. “I am so lucky to work in such a company.”
Across Trans Ova’s more than 550 team members, he sees innovation happening every day.
“This award should be for everyone who is always thinking about improvement, working hard every day to make us a better company tomorrow.”
That mindset is what continues to push the industry forward—one idea, one experiment, and one improvement at a time.
The Dr. David Faber Innovation Award was created to ensure that Trans Ova’s history of bold thinking continues to guide its future. It celebrates those who look at what’s possible, not just what exists today.
For Hong Wei, innovation has never been about a single breakthrough moment. It’s about the steady pursuit of progress—asking better questions, refining processes, and empowering teams to push the boundaries of what reproductive technology can achieve.
After more than two decades with Trans Ova, his work continues to shape the science, the culture, and the future of the company.
And like the best innovators, he’s still focused on what comes next.
